196 Forgotten Feathers. [ist^A^ril 



238. White-necked Heron {Noiophoyx pacijica). 



247. Sanderling {Calidris arefiaria). — Watling's note : — " A kind of Sand 



or Shore Lark ; not very numerous. Native name, IVaddergal." 

 263. Black throated (irebe {Podicipes novcp-hollaiidia). — Wathng's note : — 



" One-tifth the natural size. Native name, Mag-a-ger." 

 270. Crested Tern {S/ertui bergii). 

 275. Pacific Gull {Gabianits pacificiis). — Watling's note : — " Native name, 



Troo-^ad-dill.'' 

 277. Silver Gull {Lartis fto7J(T-/iolI(i)idice). 

 291. Little Penguin {Eudyp/tila riiinur). 



Regarding the Great Brown Kingfisher or Laughing Jackass 

 {Dacclo gigas), it is interesting to know that the latter vernacular 

 was in vogue in Watling's day, for he states its native name was 

 Goo-ge-ne-gaiig, likewise it was called the " Laughing Jack Ass." 

 In his notes Watling only refers once to nests. Describing that 

 of the Yellow-eared Flycatcher (Honey-eater), or Ptilotis auri- 

 comis, he wrote : — " It builds its nest on the pensile branch of 

 some trees or low shrubs, as I suppose to avoid the opossum, 

 flying squirrel, lizards, guana, and birds and mice." 



Some interest is attached to renaming specificall)' the Regent 

 Bower-Bird (yScriculns) from melinus to chrysocepha/us. Watling's 

 figure is the type of Turdns vielinus of Latham, the name 

 generally applied to Regent-Bird. Dr. Sharpe states that " this 

 it certainly is ;/£>/," and the name should be dropped in favour 

 of .S. cJirysocepJinlus of Lewin. There seems no doubt that 

 Watling's figure was intended for the Yellow-bellied Fig-Bird 

 [SpJiecotJieres flaviventris, Gould). Had Dr. Sharpe been aware 

 of the fact that the Yellow-bellied Sphecotheres has been 

 observed in New South Wales,* he would have probably sug- 

 gested the suppression of Gould's specific name flaviveyitris in 

 favour of Latham's old melinus, on the same lines that other old 

 and established names have been altered. But what the Aus- 

 tralian student really desires to know is, where is he going to 

 find finality in the matter of nomenclature .' If a figure or a 

 name, say of Gould's, has been approved and accepted by 

 Australians for the last 50 or 60 years, there is nothing to 

 prevent the adoption of that name, all the written and unwritten 

 laws of priority notwithstanding. The A.O.U. came into exist- 

 ence to popularise ornithology, as well as to advance "the 

 protection of useful and ornamental avifauna." It has been 

 proved that there is no better bird-protection than to popularise 

 the subject and educate the people. How can this be success- 

 fully done by continually altering names? Just as well expect 

 to teach geography by now and again renaming important towns 

 and localities. On the so-called laiv of priority, why should not 

 the Commonwealth of Australia be called " New Holland " and 

 Tasmania "Van Diemen's Land?" — A.J. C. 



* "Nests and Eggs" (Campbell), p. 84. And recently Mr. C. C. Brittlebank 

 observed several of these birds in ilie neighbourhood of the Tweed River. 



